Trestle



Ap 27, 1943. c. E. DALTON TRESTLE Filed May 26, 1942 mmvron CZarezzcezifiallbfl mga WI TN Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics TRESTLE Clarence E. Dalton, St. Louis, Mo.

Application May 26, 1942, Serial No. 444,594

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a trestle and has for an object to provide clamps for assembling or dismantling a trestle of the saw horse type in minimum time, and adapted to permit storage of the trestle when not in use, in minimum space.

A further object is to provide clamps adapted to be used in connection with either one by four or two by four timber to form the trestle.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary end elevation, with parts in section, showing a clamp constructed in accordance with the invention in applied position to form a trestle of two by four timber.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the clamp in applied position to form a trestle of one by four timber.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the clamp shown in Figure 1, in applied position.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail view showing the overlapped bars which support the shaft of the two members of the clamp.

Figure '7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of one member of the clamp.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the eye bolt and nut of the toggle connection for adjusting the bars of the clamp to leg releasing or leg clamping position.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, HI designates the top rail and H the inclined legs of a trestle of the saw horse type, secured in assembled position by a clamp l2 constructed in accordance with the invention, the clamp being adjustable to two by four timber illustrated in Figure 1 or one by four timber illustrated in Figure 2, to form a trestle of the saw horse type.

The clamp comprises two companion members l3, one of which is shown in Figure 8, each member being formed of channel metal having the web 14 curved forwardly at the upper end to provide the jaw portion of the clamp, there being prongs IE on the flanges of the member adapted to penetrate the respective side of the top rail Hi.

The two members of each clamp are pivotally connected together by a pivot shaft I6 which passes transversely between both members of the clamp and is engaged at the ends in overlapped bars H which project from the flanges of both members underneath the top rail 10 and form a support in contact with the bottom surface of the top rail. The bars are each provided with a plurality of openings l8, see Figure 8, connected by a slot IS, the slot permitting the end of the pivot shaft to be passed from one set or registering openings to the other set of registering openings to increase or diminish the distance between both members of the clamp to facilitate the trestle being formed of two by four or one by four timber. The adjustment is maintained by a pin engaged through a head 2| formed on one end of the pivot shaft, see Figure 7, interchangeably received in openings 22 formed in the bars ll, again see Figure 8.

The side flanges of each member of the clamp is provided with ears 23 below the bars H, the ears being provided with respective slots 24 to receive gudgeons 25 formed at the ends of a plate 26 adapted to engage the inner surface of a respecitve leg I l to clamp the leg to the respective clamp member. The slots permit the plate 26 being adjusted on the clamp member to receive legs formed of two by four or one by four timber. Each plate is provided with a crank arm 21 having an opening 28.

An eye bolt 29 has its eye 30 loosely receiving the pivot shaft [6 and the lower end of the eye bolt is provided with screw threads 3|. A smooth bore nut 32 is mounted on the threaded end of the eye bolt, see Figure 9, having a pair of ears 33 on each side provided with registering openlugs 34. The crank arms 21 of the clamp plates 26 are engaged between respective pairs or ears and pivot bolts 35 are engaged through the registering openings of the ears and the crank arms, see Figure 3. A wing nut 36 is threadedly engaged with the eye bolt below the nut 32 and may be advanced upwardly or retracted downwardly to respectively swing the clamp plates 26 into engagement with the legs H or out of engagement with the legs I l for assembling or dismantling the trestle.

The web of each member of the clamp is provided with a stop leg 36, struck from the web and adapted to engage the upper end of a respective leg of the trestle to limit insertion of the leg into the member before the wing nut is operated to rock the respective plate 26 into clamping engagement with the inner surface of the leg.

Since the operation of the parts have been described as the description of the parts progressed it is thought the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp for trestles, comprising two members adapted to receive the upper ends of thelegs of a trestle, oppositely arranged inwardly extending overlapped bars carried by the members adjacent their upper ends and adapted to support a top rail, a pivot passing through said bars; ears carried by the lower ends of said members, arms pivotally supported within the ears and sliding transverselyrof thei members, asliding nut Walls. of the channel members, a sliding nut pivpivotally connecting the inner ends of the arms, an eye bolt loosely mounted upon the pivot of said bars and loosely passing through the sliding nut, and a thumb nut threaded on the lower end of the eye bolt below the sliding nut.

2. A clamp for trestles, comprising two channel members adapted to receive the legs of the trestle, oppositely arranged inwardly extending overlapped bars carried by the side walls of the channel members adjacent their upper ends and adapted to support the top rail, a pivot passing through said bars and horizontally adjustable therein, ears carried by the lower ends of said channel members, arms pivotally supported within slots in said ears which extend into the side ot'ally connecting the inner ends of the arms, an eye bolt loosely mounted upon the pivot of said bars and loosely passing through the sliding nut, and a thumb nut threaded on the lower end of the eye'bolt below the sliding nut.

CLARENCE E. DALTON. 

